The popularity of smart TVs is growing day by day, as a convenient means of viewing video on the big screen, whether it's YouTube movies, movies in online cinemas, IPTV or family photos from mobile phone memory. But what if your TV has no smart features and you don't want to change it for one YouTube. Or the possibility of proprietary firmware for your TV leaves much to be desired?
There is a solution: Best Android TV Box for 2021
They will make even the old computer monitor, which lies idly on the cabinet, smart, although in this case, you will need an adapter. Yes, and when you buy a new Android TV box may come in handy, because the price difference between conventional and “smart” models can reach several hundred dollars. Smart Android TV Box gives you access to thousands of applications that are already on your smartphone, on your TV. Including numerous games (including for 2-3 and even 4 players, which is a large number of cases can replace the game console). However, for games, you will need (more than one, if you plan to play with friends) a gamepad (performance of specific games on Android TV Boxes and their compatibility with gamepads is better to check in advance).
In our review we will tell you about:
Which is the best Android TV box to buy
What is the fastest Android TV box
What is the best processor for Android TV box
What's the best apps for Android TV box
How to Choose Android TV Box
We choose Android TV Box on Aliexpress, it has its own operating system, processor and RAM. It is almost like a smartphone, only designed for TV and has no basic functions of the phone. You should choose by the following parameters:
Operating System
The most common TV boxes on the Android operating system, are characterized by rapid performance, a wide range of applications and content, and of course a low cost. Less common options on the OC Windows, with good parameters, such boxes are able to completely replace the functionality of the PC, but they cost many times more expensive, and the choice of applications is much more modest. Even less common is LINUX, all because of the small number of software. We recommend Android devices!
Interfaces
The Android TV box should be connected to a TV and network. Most TV boxes have USB (2.0 or 3.0) or HDMI, as well as Wi-Fi. However, some have an RJ-45 connector to connect the network cable, so you can connect the network directly to them – for example, if you do not have a router or not a very wide channel. We recommend such devices to everyone who has an Internet speed below 50 Mbps.
Hardware
Modern android TV boxes mainly run on Rockchip or Amlogic processors, the most modest models have only 2 cores and low frequency. But there are powerful tv boxes with 8-core processors and 4 GB of RAM. If you want a stable device to watch video in high quality then don't even look at the super budget models.
Resolution
Modern smart android TV boxes support picture quality at 4K UHD, 1080p or 720p. This is all very good, but if you have slow Internet or TV without UHD support, you will hardly appreciate the benefits of 4K. Before choosing the device, make a revision of its technical capabilities: what is the maximum resolution of the picture supports your TV and how fast you have the Internet.
Power supply
The Android TV box, like any device, requires electricity and it is important to pay attention to where it will be received from – just for your convenience. Some prefixes are charged directly from the TV via USB. Others need a socket and then you should have an extra one close to the TV.
The Best Android TV Box Under(more than) $100
The Best Android TV Box: Ugoos AM6 Plus
Android TV Box UGOOS AM6 Plus is powered by the latest Amlogic S922XJ processor. The new 12nm SoC runs at an increased clock speed from 1.8GHz to 2.2GHz and also has hardware support for Dolby Vision and Dolby Audio.
The heart of UGOOS AM6 Plus is the Amlogic S922XJ SoC with 4 high-performance ARM Cortex-A73 processors capable of reaching 1.8GHz + 2 ARM Cortex-A53 processors clocked at 1.9GHz. The GPU, manufactured in 16nm, is an ARM Mali-G52 MP6 with a maximum frequency of 846 MHz, compatible with OpenGL ES 3.2 and Vulkan 1.0, allowing us to run powerful games like PUBG and the like.
The VPU is an Amlogic Video Engine with support for HDR, Dolby Vision, Advanced HDR10 and HDR10 + and support for the REC709 / BT2020 profile. The RAM is 4GB LPDDR4 and the storage is 32GB eMMc 5.1 expandable thanks to the microSD card reader.
In terms of wireless connectivity, the Ugoos AM6 Plus has dual-band WiFi and Bluetooth 5.0 with two external antennas. On the sides of the rectangular case there are 1 USB 3.0 port, three USB 2.0 OTG ports, a Gigabit Ethernet connector, an SPDIF digital audio output, HDMI 2.1 and a 3.5mm jack for analog audio and video.
Zidoo Z9X
ZIDOO Z9X media player is equipped with Realtek RTD1619DR 64-bit high-performance ARM Cortex-A55 six-core processor, which has faster response speed and more efficient computing power. The Z9X supports HDR10 + and Dolby Vision technology. Integrated Dolby Vision VS10 video engine that supports low latency Dolby Vision (LLDV) output. The new video engine supports a higher color depth of 12-bit (approximately 68 billion colors) for brighter colors and natural color gradients.
Inside, besides the mentioned chipset, there are 2GB of RAM and 16GB of eMMC storage. The TV Box also supports dual band WiFi, 802.11 a / b / g / n / AC 2R2T MIMO, Bluetooth 4.2, Gigabit Ethernet, network sharing protocols (SAMBA, etc.). The device runs on Android OS 9.0 and, like previous models, is equipped with Dual HDMI (IN and OUT).
Zidoo Z10 PRO
Zidoo Z10Pro is focused on local content playback, with built-in storage, support for Blu-ray navigation and 3D video among others.
The new 64-bit Realtek RTD1619DR SoC contains six ARM Cortex-A55 cores with an integrated Mali-G51 MP3 GPU. There is 2GB DDR4 RAM and 16GB internal storage expandable via micro SD or SATA connector.
With regard to video and audio playback, there is support for most modern formats, with the exception of AV1. However, it is possible to play formats such as VP9 profile 2, HDR10 +, Dolby Vision and supports Autoframerate. The specification of the new products has not yet precisely indicated whether there is official support for Dolby ATMOS, DTS: X, DTS-HD MA and Dolby True-HD.
Tv box support WiFi aC 2 × 2 MIMO + Bluetooth 4.2 with two external antennas. Of the connectors there are HDMI 2.0b output, HDMI 2.0a input, SPDIF, three USB 3.0, two USB 2.0, SATA connector, AV connector, RS232 port and Gigabit Ethernet port.
The operating system is Android 9 with the proprietary ZIDOO ZIUI shell, and there is also its own mobile application for remote control.
Beelink GT-King PRO
Beelink GT-King Pro has a striking design with a metal body and an improved audio path based on high-quality chips.
The TV Box Beelink GT-King Pro, like its predecessor, is powered by an Amlogic S922X-H six-core processor (four Cortex-A73 @ 2.21 GHz + two Cortex-A53 @ 1.8 GHz). The GPU is ARM Mali-G52 MP6, compatible with OpenGL ES 3.2 and Vulkan 1.0, making it easy to run powerful games like PUBG. The VPU uses the Amlogic Video Engine (AVE-10) processor with support for all types of HDR, Dolby Vision, Advanced HDR10, HDR10 +, HLG and PRIME HDR and others. This chipset includes Dolby DTS certifications and is one of the most powerful chips available today.
The system has 4GB of fast DDR4 type RAM, which allows you to play HD videos smoothly and download huge resources from the Internet. 64GB of internal storage is also built in, which is enough to store a large number of movies and applications
The Beelink GT-King Pro TV Box supports 2.4GHz + 5.8GHz dual-band WiFi wireless as well as 1000Mbps gigabit wired LAN port, which allows you to smoothly play 4K @ 60fps, 3D and H. 256.
The tv box runs on the adapted Android 9.0 operating system, which is compatible with a large number of software, games and applications for every taste.
The improved audio path is based on the high-quality DAC ES9018 audio chip and the RT6862 operational amplifier with DTS and Dolby audio support.
The tv box is equipped with a remote control with a voice remote control operating in the 2.4G band
BEELINK GS-KING X
The flagship Beelink GS-King X TV box first of all surprises us with its large metal case, adorned with the traditional skull image on the front. Inside is a powerful Amlogic S922X-H SoC, a dedicated professional-grade ESS DAC-ES9018 audio chip, and a bay for two 3.5-inch SATA drives supporting drives up to 16 TB.
The tv box also includes its own software that functions as a NAS in all its aspects, from which we can manage access permissions, backups, etc. To complete the multimedia aspect, Beelink GS-King X has 7.1 audio support and includes certifications HDCP 2.2 and Widevine L1 content protection.
The heart of the Beelink GS-King X media player is the SoC Amlogic S922X-H with 4 Arm Cortex A73 cores (up to 1.8 GHz), 2 Arm Cortex A53 cores (1.9 GHz) and with Arm Mali-G52MP4 GPU ( 846 MHz). The system comes with 4GB LPDDR4 RAM and 64GB eMMC flash, which is enough for any task. Separately, it should be noted the high-quality sound path, which is built on the 32-bit DAC ES9018 Saber and the RT6862 / RiCore amplifier.
In terms of wireless connectivity, it supports Wi-Fi AC 2T2R + Bluetooth 4.1 with internal antennas. In terms of interfaces, there are two USB 3.0 ports on the back, a Gigabit Ethernet network jack, three SPDIF audio jacks + 3.5mm audio (L / R) + RCA output + BAL Audio (L / R) 6.25mm, HDMI jack 2.0b with 4K @ 60fps support, HDR and Dolby and DTS 7.1 audio.
Beelink GT-King 2020
The popular Beelink GT-King TV box, one of the best TV boxes of 2021 in its class, has received another update. This time, the update affected the wireless adapter, which now supports the modern Wi-Fi 6 (ax) protocol, while the price of the tv box has increased slightly.
Networking – Gigabit Ethernet port, dual band 2×2 MIMO WiFi 6, Bluetooth 4.1
SoC – Amlogic S922X big.LITTLE six-core processor with four Arm Cortex A73 cores @ up to 1.8 GHz, two Arm Cortex A53 cores @ 1.9 GHz, Arm Mali-G52MP4 GPU @ 846 MHz; 12nm manufacturing process
The tv box has 4GB LPDDR4 RAM, 64 GB of storage and supports all the functions and interfaces available on top-end TV boxes, including 4K HDR, HDMI 2.1 output, Gigabit Ethernet, USB 3.0
Khadas VIM3 PRO
The Khadas team decided to provide the development community with a more powerful platform and replace the Amlogic S922X processor with a higher clock speed Amlogic A311D processor and 5.0 TOPS NPU.
SoC – Amlogic A311D 6-core processor with 4 Arm Cortex-A73 @ up to 2.2 GHz and 2 Cortex A53 cores @ up to 1.8 GHz, Arm Mali-G52 MP4 GPU, Onboard Cortex-M4 for Always on 5.0 TOPS NPU @ 800 MHz with support for Tensorflow, Caffe and other deep learning environments
MCU – STMicro STM8S003 with programmable EEPROM for power management, bootable media settings
System memory and storage
VIM3 Basic – 2GB LPDDR4 / 4X RAM, 16GB eMMC 5.1 flash
VIM3 Pro – 4GB LPDDR4 / 4X RAM, 32GB eMMC 5.1 storage
Video output and display interface
HDMI2.1 transmitter with 3D, Dynamic HDR, CEC and HDCP 2.2 support
Video
4K UHD H.265 75fps 10-bit Low Latency Video Decoder 1080p H.265 / H.264 60fps
Supports multi-video decoding up to 4K x 2K @ 60fps + 1 x 1080P @ 60fps
Dolby Vision and HDR10, HDR10 +, HLG and PRIME HDR video processing
Audio – 8 channel I2S for array mic applications over M2.
Communication
Gigabit Ethernet with WoL support
Dual-band 802.11a / b / g / n / ac WiFI 5, 2X2 MIMO with RSDB and Bluetooth 5.0 via Ampak AP6398S module
Another version may also become available later with Amlogic S922X-B processor, soon to be released with Cortex-A73 cores up to 2.2 GHz instead of 1.7 GHz for the original Amlogic S922X processor, which will be called Amlogic S922X in the future. A.
MINIX U22 X-J
The android tv box is powered by a powerful SoC Amlogic S922XJ processor, which includes six 12nm cores with official support for Dolby Vision and Dolby Audio. The MINIX NEO U22-XJ TV box easily delivers ultra-realistic pictures and great sound for your home theater. Tv box is made in a classic round-shaped case made of black plastic. A simple IR remote control included. The operating system used is Android 9 with MINIX GUI. Multichannel speakers can be connected via HDMI and S / PDIF. All connectors are located on the right and back of the case, while the Wi-Fi antenna has been moved to the left. There is a small LED indicator on the front panel.
Minix Neo U22-XJ is built on SoC Amlogic S922XJ (4 ARM Cortex-A73 cores up to 1.8 GHz + 2 ARM Cortex-A53 cores 1.9 GHz). The ARM Mali-G52 MP6 GPU has plenty of performance headroom and can run powerful games like PUBG. The new VPU uses Amlogic Video Engine with HDR10, Dolby Vision, Advanced HDR10 and HDR10 + support. Memory configuration corresponds to the level of top-end TV boxes. 4GB DDR4 RAM and 32GB eMMc Flash. Expandability is also possible thanks to a microSD card reader.
The Best Android TV Box Under $100
UGOOS X3 (CUBE, PRO, PLUS)
Ugoos X3 looks like a small rectangular box with the inscription “X3” and the model designation “CUBE”, “PRO” or “PLUS”, different from each other in the size of the built-in memory. The attachment looks good, nothing loosens, no creaks. The usual set of ports is located along the edges. The antenna is removable, easy to screw on and off.
Of course, many users of professional acoustics will like the presence of Dolby True HD and DTC-HD HI RES sound support in Ugoos X3, and of course a full-fledged S / PDIF port for outputting it to an external speaker system. This is a really significant plus, because it will not be easy to find analogues among competitors in a similar price segment.
The tv box itself supports autoframe, allowing it to automatically recognize and adjust the number of frames and resolution format for the content used. Playback of 4K content from the set-top box is excellent. Even super-heavy 50Gb files go without friezes and jams.
The Internet connection during the tests showed stable operation, both from the wire, and via WI-FI 2.4G and 5G. Also, Ugoos X3 is compatible with Miracast and even has a pre-installed beta version of AirScreen, which allows, for example, comfortably and without loss of quality to broadcast videos from YouTube directly from your smartphone.
SoC – Amlogic S905X3 Quad Core Arm Cortex-A55 with Mali-G31 MP2 GPU
System Memory – 2/4 GB LPDDR4 RAM
Storage – 16 / 32GB eMMC flash, microSD card slot up to 32GB, HDD via USB 3.0 port
Video Output – HDMI 2.1 output up to 4K @ 75Hz with HDR, 3.5mm AV port (composite)
Video Codecs – VP9 Profile-2 up to 4K 60 fps, 10-bit H.265 up to 4K 60 fps, AVS2-P2 up to 4K 60 fps, H.264 / AVC up to 4K 30 fps, H. 264 MVC up to 1080p60, MPEG -4 ASP up to 1080p60 (ISO-14496), etc.
Audio – analog stereo audio via AV port, digital audio via HDMI and optical S / PDIF
Connectivity – Gigabit Ethernet, dual band WiFi ac 802.11 b / g / n (AP6255), Bluetooth 5
Ugoos X3 is undoubtedly the leader in quality and feature set in its price range and definitely deserves attention. Especially if you have not used a TV box before and want to purchase a confident, not raw multimedia solution, but for adequate money.
Mecool KM9 PRO
The very popular Android TV box Mecool KM9 Pro has appeared on sale in the form of updated Mecool KM9 Pro Classic and Deluxe models, which now run Android TV 10.
New versions of Mecool KM9 PRO continue to work with the same hardware as the previous model – based on SoC Amlogic S905X2. The new items are also certified by Google, which allows you to use Google Cast to stream content from mobile devices and play Amazon Prime Video content in 4K quality. Only the software was slightly changed.
Mecool KM9 Pro are powered by an Amlogic S905X2 quad-core processor that runs at up to 2GHz and integrates a powerful new GPU Mali-G31 MP2, as well as a new VPU that integrates specific hardware for encoding h.265 and VP9 codecs. Uses 2/4 GB DDR3 RAM and 16/32 GB eMMc storage memory, expandable with a micro SD card reader.
Mecool KM9 Pro with Android TV 10.0 includes Wifi AC + Bluetooth 4.0 wireless connectivity with 4GB of RAM. Of the connectors on the plastic case, there is only a USB 2.0 port, a second USB 3.0 port, an analog audio and video port, a 10/100 Ethernet connector and HDMI 2.1 video output with support for 4K @ 60fps with dynamic HDR and HDCP 2.2.
The tv box come with a voice-activated Bluetooth remote control that fully supports Android TV 10.0.
Mecool KM3
TV box called MECOOL KM3 with voice control, which is a Google certified TV box. The box is powered by an Amlogic S905X2 quad-core processor and a Mali-G31 MP2 “Dvalin” GPU coupled with 4GB RAM, 64GB storage. But the most interesting thing about it is the Android TV 9 operating system.
Google Certification means the set-top box supports Google services, YouTube 4K (3840 × 2160 @ 30fps), Google Assistant via remote, Google Cast, OTA firmware update to the latest Android
SoC – Amlogic S905X2 Quad Core Arm Cortex-A53 with Mali-G31 MP2 “Dvalin” GPU
System Memory – 4GB DDR4
Storage – 64GB eMMC flash, micro SD card slot up to 32GB
Video and audio outputs
HDMI 2.1 output up to 4K @ 75 Hz with HDR / HDCP 2.2 / CEC
3.5mm AV port (composite + stereo audio)
Video Codecs – VP9 Profile-2 up to 4K 60 fps, 10-bit H.265 up to 4K 60 fps, AVS2-P2 up to 4K 60 fps, H.264 / AVC up to 4K 30 fps, H. 264 MVC up to 1080p60, MPEG -4 ASP up to 1080p60 (ISO-14496), etc.
Connectivity – Fast Ethernet, dual band 802.11 b / g / n / ac 2T2R WiFi 5, Bluetooth 4.1
USB – 1 USB 3.0 port, 1 USB 2.0 port
Mecool KM1
MECOOL KM3 as the operating system uses Android TV 9 OS, certified by Google and with support for official services, including GoogleCast, Google Assistant, YouTube, Google Play and Amazon Prime.
The MECOOL KM1 TV box is powered by a quad-core SoC AMlogic S905X3 based on 12nm technology. This SoC has four cores of ARM Cortex-A55 processors, which develop frequencies up to 1.9 GHz, and GPU Mali-G31 MP2. See specs comparison between Amlogic S905X2 and S905X3. The processor also has an artificial intelligence NPU, which is used to power the voice assistant. Amlogic Video Engine 10 with optional support for Dolby Vision, HDR, HDR10 +, HDR10 and PRIME HDR is used as the VPU. The box has 4GB of DDR4 RAM and 64GB of eMMc storage, which can be expanded with microSD cards, the slot for which is located on the side of the case.
The Android TV box supports 2.4GHz and 5GHz dual band Wi-Fi with Bluetooth 4.2 (the KM3 uses Bluetooth 4.1). The connectors on the case are typical for this price range: a USB 2.0 port, a second USB 3.0, a 10/100 Ethernet connector, an HDMI 2.1 video output, and an analog audio video output. SPDIF audio output is traditionally absent. The set-top box includes a new remote with a built-in microphone for voice control and inscribed with the YouTube, Amazon Prime Video and Google Play logos.
Xiaomi Mi Box S
The design is laconic: a square box made of matt black plastic with rounded corners and a barely visible logo on the top lid. Hardware: Amlogic S905X-H processor with 4-core Cortex-A53, Mali-450 video accelerator, 2 GB DDR3 RAM and 8 GB eMMC storage capacity. Same set of ports: USB 2.0, audio output (S/PDIF, headphones) and HDMI 2.0a, dual-band WiFi standard 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth version increased to 4.2. Apart from the Bluetooth version, there are few upgrades: the android tv box appearance, the firmware version has been updated to Android 9, several additional buttons on the remote have been added.
In its Android TV Boxes Xiaomi uses the official Android TV – specially adapted for TVs version of Android, developed by Google, so the entire interface is sharpened to the equation of the remote and voice input, the firmware has a built-in Chromecast and Google assistant. The device can display 4K HDR content on your TV, Dolby Audio and DTS HD sound enhancement technologies are available.
At the moment, the Xiaomi Mi Box S TV box is one of the most popular and best-selling smart TV boxes in the world.
X88 KING
The X88 King TV box includes a powerful Amlogic S922X six-core SoC with 4 ARM Cortex-A73 processors, which are able to reach 1.8GHz + 2 ARM Cortex-A53 processors that reach 1.9GHz. The GPU is ARM Mali-G52 MP6, compatible with OpenGL ES 3.2, Vulkan 1.0, which lets you run powerful games like PUBG without any problem. The VPU is an Amlogic Video Engine with support for HDR, Dolby Vision, Advanced HDR10, HDR10 +, HLG, PRIME HDR. There is also a digital DAC integrated into the audio path. The RAM is 4 GB LPDDR4 type, the EMMc volume is 128 GB, which can be further expanded thanks to the microSD card reader.
Regarding wireless connectivity, X88 King TV Box supports WiFi AC and Bluetooth 5.0. On the side walls of the plastic case there are 1 USB 3.0 port, another USB 2.0, a Gigabit Ethernet connector, an SPDIF digital audio output, HDMI 2.1 and a 3.5mm analog audio and video connector. The set-top box comes with an infrared remote control with a block of additional buttons that can be programmed to control the TV.
Ugoos AM3
The Ugoos AM3 is made of matt black painted metal. The hardware of the Ugoos AM3 media player is the newest Amlogic S912 chip, the engineers chose the lowest modification, without built-in support for Dolby Digital and DTS. Eight Cortex-A53 cores are combined into two clusters operating at frequencies of 1.5 and 1 GHz, the video is handled by an ARM Mali-T820MP3 coprocessor.
They allocated enough memory, 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of eMMC flash drives, expansion with an SD card is possible. This is quite normal for basic tasks. Thanks to the chip, the set-top box operates in two Wi-Fi bands (2.4 and 5 GHz), the Ethernet port is 1 Gbps.
Ugoos fulfills the declared characteristics one hundred percent. Video is displayed without gaps in 3840 × 2160 resolution at up to 60 frames per second, HDR mode is supported. All applications have the function of automatic synchronization of the screen frame rate with the video frame rate (auto frame rate) – this allows you to get a smooth picture.
The Best Android TV Box Under $50
TOX1
Android TV Box called UGOOS TOX1. An Android 9 device with decent specs and a fairly low price point within the price range of this brand. This model is much more competitively priced than its previous UGOOS X3 with S905X3 and AM6 with S922X.
The UGOOS TOX1 TV Box is powered by the AMlogic S905X3 SoC, a 12nm quad-core processor and an integrated Mali-G31 MP2 GPU. This chip has 4 ARM Cortex-A55 cores clocked at 1.5GHz. VPU is Amlogic Video Engine 10 with support for HDR Dolby Vision, HDR10 +, HDR10 and HLG.
It also has 4GB of DDR4 RAM and 32GB of eMMc onboard memory that can be expanded with a micro SD card. The TV box case has a large number of air deflectors that provide the necessary cooling for the tv box.
From the wireless interfaces, the new product supports 2R2T Dual Band Wifi AC and Bluetooth 4.2, with an integrated internal and external antenna. The plastic case of the connectors has a USB 2.0 port, another USB 3.0, a Gigabit Ethernet connector and an HDMI 2.1 video output. There is no analog audio jack and SPDIF jack, multichannel audio output is carried out only via HDMI.
The UGOOS TOX1 TV box is installed with Android 9 operating system, the basic IR remote control, HDMI cable, power supply and user manual are included as standard.
X96 Max Plus 2
X96 MAX PLUS TV Box is an inexpensive Android TV-Box powered by Amlogic S905X3 Quad-Core Processor. This is an extremely popular model with Android 9 Pie as the operating system, which has already been sold in huge numbers around the world. There are many firmwares from third-party developers including firmware from Android TV. In this case, the system has a working AFR, multichannel sound output in Pass true mode, etc. We recommend buying the version with 4/32 GB of memory. This is enough for playing any video content and simple games that do not require a lot of resources. In this package you get dual band Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, as well as Bluetooth 4.1 and LAN on 1000M
AX95 DB
The AX95 DB TV box is a high-performance device, the heart of which is the Amlogic S905X3-B processor with four cores. The set-top box has 4 GB of RAM on board, while the internal memory is 32 GB, which is quite enough for storing data, files, videos, photos, etc. There is also support for HDR10 + technology.
CPU – S905X3-B, Quad Core ARM® Cortex ™ A55 @ up to 1.9 GHz
GPU – Mali-G31
Memory – 4GB DDR3 RAM
Internal Storage – 32GB or 64GB eMMC
Connectivity – Dual band 2.4G / 5G WiFi 802.11a / b / g / n / ac, Fast Ethernet 10/100 Mbps, Bluetooth 4.0
Video decoding – H.264 / AVC Base / Main / High / High10 profile @ level 5.1; up to 4Kx2K @ 60fps H.265 / HEVE Main / Main10 profile @ level 5.1 High-tier; up to 4Kx2K @ 60fps VP9, up to 4Kx2K @ 60fps
Audio Decoding – MP3 / WMA / AAC / WAV / OGG / AC3 / DDP / TrueHD / DTS / DTS / HD / FLAC / APE
USB – 1 * USB3.0, 3 * USB2.0
X96S
The X96S is powered by the new Amlogic S905Y2 processor. This is a dedicated processor designed for 4K HDMI TV sticks.
SoC – Amlogic S905Y2 quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 @ up to 2.0 GHz with Mali-G31 MP2 “Dvalin” processor
System memory / storage options
2GB LPDDR4, 16GB eMMC flash, Micro SD card slot
4GB LPDDR4, 32GB eMMC flash, Micro SD card slot
Video and Audio Output – HDMI 2.1 output with HDR up to 4K UHD @ 75Hz
Video Codecs – VP9 Profile-2 up to 4K 60fps, 10-bit H.265 up to 4K 60fps, AVS2-P2 up to 4K 60fps,
H.264 / AVC up to 4K 30fps, H.264 MVC up to 1080p60, MPEG -4 ASP up to 1080p60 (ISO-14496), etc.
Connectivity – Dual Band WiFi AC and Bluetooth 4.2
USB – 1x USB 3.0 port
The X96S TV Stick runs Android 8.1 and comes with a USB power adapter, micro USB cable, infrared remote control, external IR receiver, HDMI cable and user manual.
TANIX TX9S
The heart of the Tanix TX9S is the powerful Amlogic S912 8-core 64-bit SoC with ARM Cortex-A53 processors. The 5-core MALI-T820 MP3 video processor (750 MHz) is responsible for graphics playback, which in turn provides full support for most popular video decoding formats, including: 3GP, 4K, DIVX, H.264, H.265, VP9, M4V, MKV, MP4, MPEG2, MPEG4, RM, RMVB, VC-1, VOB, WMV, and easily copes with video processing in resolution up to 4K (Ultra HD) and 10-bit color depth.
This model is equipped with 2GB DDR3 RAM, 8GB eMMc internal memory and 2.4GHz Wi-Fi with built-in antenna. There is no Bluetooth support. Despite the small amount of RAM, the set-top box is quite capable of performing all the assigned tasks, which has already been repeatedly proven. And the small storage capacity, if necessary, can be easily expanded using a USB disk or SD card. From the connectors, the set-top box has an SD memory card reader, 2 USB 2.0 ports, a Gigabit network connector and HDMI 2.0
Other Android TV Box on Aliexpress
Vontar H96 Max
The most popular Android TV Box on Aliexpress.
Device in black case with unobtrusive pattern on the top lid. On the front panel, under the black glass, there are LED indicators and a clock, on the right side of the slot for a microSD card and two USB ports, one 2.0 and one high-speed 3.0, on the back cover you can find AV output, HDMI 2.0a, Ethernet 10/100 and power connector. Wireless connections are provided by the WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n 2.4/5 GHz and Bluetooth 4.0 modules.
The hardware is based on the RK3318 64bit Cortex-A53 processor, paired with a Mali-450 graphics processor, the amount of RAM, as well as the drive, can be selected by yourself, but in such combinations: 2/16, 4/32 or 4/64 GB, it all works under Android 9.0 with the manufacturer's installed lounge for comfortable work on the TV screen. Specifications allow you to play 4K video at a resolution of 4096×2160, with support for HDR. The device comes standard with a regular IR remote control, for an additional fee you can order a remote with a microphone for voice control Google assistant or wireless mini-keyboard.
Transpeed 6K
The device is based on the Allwinner H6 64bit Cortex-A53 quad-core processor and Mali-T720 video accelerator, 4 GB of RAM and a storage capacity of 32 or 64 GB of choice. The manufacturer claims to support 6K video with a frame rate of 30 FPS and 4K at 60 FPS. Also supported technology HDR and HLG. On the front of the case are a clock and system indicators, on the left side of the case is three USB connectors two full-size type A, with versions 2.0 and 3.0 and one microUSB slot with support for OTG, next to them is a slot for a memory card format microSD. On the back of the device you can find two video outputs: analog AV and digital HDMI 2.0a, Ethernet port 10/100. Wireless interfaces: WiFi 802.11 b/g/n/ac and Bluetooth 4.0. The package can include a regular IR remote, an air mouse with a microphone for voice input or a wireless keyboard.
Vontar HK1 Max
This set-top box differs from its competitors primarily by its design: a round ” shape” made of black plastic, with a lightweight pattern typical of the manufacturer's models. On the front panel of the clock, around the socket outputs and connectors: USB 3.0, USB 2.0 with support for OTG, memory card slot, analog and digital HDMI video outputs, connector for connecting to a network standard Ethernet 10/100. Rockchip RK3328 quad-core processor and Mali-450 graphics card can play 4K video at 60 FPS frame rate with support for HDR function, the amount of RAM 2 or 4 GB, the memory capacity is also variable: 32GB, 64GB or 128GB. Wireless accessories can be connected via Bluetooth 4.0, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n allows you to connect the TV box to the Internet without using wires.
QiDianZ X96 mini
Budget model, the basic version of which can be purchased for only $15.
Externally, it is still the same square box with the size of 82×82 mm and height of 17 mm, there is no watch in this model, only an indicator LED on the front face of the case. The processor in the Amlogic S905W, the Mali-450MP graphics processor, the available RAM is limited to variants 1 and 2 GB, the internal storage capacity is also modest, but in most cases sufficient: it can be 8 or 16 GB and this value can be increased by using memory cards.
This TV box can play 4K video, but only at 30 frames per second, FullHD video playback speed is 60 frames per second, without HDR support also did not do. A full set of ports: two USB, one of which supports OTG technology, a slot for microSD, AV and HDMI video output cards. To connect to the Internet you can use 802.11 b/g/n or wired connection.
Transpeed A95X F3
Device with a fairly original design that includes RGB backlighting on the top panel of the case. The “filling” of this device consists of the Amlogic S905X3 64 bit ARM Cortex-A55 processor, G31 MP2 graphics card and 2 or 4 GB RAM. This configuration allows the Android TV box to play 8K video at 24 FPS. FullHD and 4K content can be played back at 75 FPS. A set of interfaces is characteristic for this class of devices: USB 2.0 and 3.0, a slot for a memory card, from the outputs in addition to the usual AV and HDMI 2.1 there is also a digital audio output S/PDIF. To connect to the Internet there is an Ethernet port and WiFi 802.11 b/g/n/ac. It works Android 9.0 with a preset lounge optimized for TV, available Google Assistant, provided the remote control with built-in microphone is connected.
Topsion TP01
A more budget-friendly alternative to our list leader, the Vontar H96 max smart android tv box, built on similar components. The case is square with a pattern reminiscent of a printed circuit board layout, in front of the LED clock, on the left side of the already familiar two USB ports 2.0 and 3.0, next to them a slot to connect a memory card, on the back side of the slot video output sockets HDMI and AV, a port for connecting Ethernet cable and digital audio output. The RK3318 64bit Cortex-A53 processor and Mali-450 graphics card provide the device with sufficient performance for playing 4K 60FPS video, 4GB of RAM and 32 or 64GB of memory. Wireless interfaces: Dual-band WiFi 2.4/ 5 GHz and Bluetooth 4.0.
Vontar X96 Max
Another Android TV box from the undoubted sales leader of our list – the company Vontar.
The appearance of the device is usual – a typical “black square” with the logo on the top cover, dimensions 105×105 mm, height – 28 mm. On the front panel there is still the same display showing the time and system information, on the left edge there are two USB ports and a memory card slot, on the back there are two video outputs, digital and analogue, digital audio output, a slot for Internet connection and a slot for external IR-sensor connection for remote control operation. The filling consists of an Amlogic S905X3 64bit Cortex-A55 processor, a G31 MP2 graphics processor and memory that is available in three options: 2/16, 4/32 and 4/64 gigabytes of RAM and constant memory Wireless communication is provided by the WiFi module that operates in two ranges of 2.4 and 5 GHz and in the version with 4 gigabytes of RAM is available Bluetooth 4.0 module.
Reyfoon A95X F2
And that concludes our list of Reyfoon smart Android TV boxes. The case is made of black plastic with large decorative ribs on the top panel and side edges, the front panel has a screen with clocks and indicators, a set of connectors is not surprising: two USB, one of which is 3.0 standard, a slot for a memory card, AV, HDMI and S/PDIF outputs and, of course, an Ethernet port. The wireless capabilities of the devices differ slightly depending on the version for 32 GB WiFi 2.4 GHz, for the version with 64 GB WiFi dual-band 2.4 and 5 GHz, both using Bluetooth 4.0.
The manufacturer did not specify the exact marking of the processor, but only the information that the CPU produced by Amlogic and built on Cortex-A53 architecture, video processor Mali-G31MP, the amount of RAM in the device is 4 GB, the drive with a choice of 32 or 64 GB.
